The World Draughts Championship has overcome its halfway point after 5th round ended on June 15. Four more rounds are left. There is a fierce battle for the lead in both finals.

The A-final is solely headed by the current world champion Alexander Georgiev (Russia). Still, fans attention is focused now on the long game between Roel Boomstra (Netherlands) and N’cho Joel Atse (Ivory Coast), leader according to the results of the 4th round, when Dutchman won and overtook his rival according to the number of points. Each of these players has 8 points. Alexander Getmanski (Russia), who played in a draw, and Yuriy Anikeev (Ukraine), who beat Dul Erdenebileg (Mongolia), have the same number of points.

Alexey Chizhov (Russia) won an important victory over Jean Marc Ndjofang (Cameroon), for whom this is second defeat in a row. Chizhov has 7 points, as well as Ndjofang and Schwarzman (Russia).

In the B-final, Andrei Tolchykau (Belarus) joined the group of leaders which includes Ainur Shaibakov (Russia), Evgueni Watoetin (Belarus), Ndiaga Samb (Senegal), Thomy Lucien Mbongo (Cameroon). Each of these five has 7 points.

According to the results of the 4th round of the World Draughts Championship there are several leaders in both tournaments: two are in the main final and four are in the “B” final. In the finals (“A” final) of the World Draughts Championship the leaders are N’cho Joel Atse (Ivory Coast) and Aleksander Georgiev (Russia). They have 8 points each. Atse beat the former leader Marc Ndjofang (Cameroon), who has only 7 points in his active. Aleksander Getmanski (Russia) has the same number of points after a draw game.

In the “B” final, leaders Ainur Shaibakov (Russia) and Evgueni Watoetin (Belarus) drew a tie. According to the number of points in this round, two more sportsmen caught up with them. They are international grandmaster Ndiaga Samb (Senegal) and international master Thomy Lucien Mbongo (Cameroon), who have 6 points each. All of six participants from Russia, France, Uzbekistan, Netherlands, Lithuania, Belarus have 5 points each.

One of the participants of «B» final is Bashkir sportsman Tamara Tansykkuzhina who left sport for some time because of the birth of child. In all three final rounds she played draw games and is satisfied with the achieved results.

- All my opponents were very strong, they are grandmasters Pim Meurs, Guntis Valneris and Murodullo Amrillaew. I am totally satisfied with the achieved results because I haven’t been playing draughts for a year. This tournament for me is a new step back to the sport. I can’t say that I have great goals but I do hope that this championship will help me to speed up my return to elite sport. I want to give myself a try because the pause was really long, - noted the sportsman.

This is the opinion of Rene Adji (delegate member from Cote D'Ivoire).

Althoug this kind of sport is very young there are very strong players. Our draughts players are very active and they gain experience. In my country not only professionals play draughts but also non-professionals. For example out of 16 thousand people 1 thousand play draughts. We really appreciate our opponents especially Russian players who are really very strong. But we have 6 more rounds and we still have chances to show good result. We hope to take one of the first three places. Rene Adji also noticed the high level of the organization of the championship.

- It is the first time when I came to Russia. Here I gained a positive experience and memories of hospitable people.

Said international grandmaster Alexander Schwarzman after the 3rd final round of the World Draughts Championship. Jean Mark Ndjofang got two victories and played a draw game today. For Jean Mark Ndjofang who is the leader of the championship at the moment it's become more and more difficult to play. But we have 6 more rounds. Many players already feel tired. Such physical characteristics as resistance to stress and fatigue resistance are very important in the final. And ofcourse luck playes a very important role. Not everything depends on you, 50% of the game depends on your opponents. As for me I feel a bit tired.

One of the leaders of the World Championship and current world champion Alexander Georgiev told us his opinion about the organization of the competition and about the game:

- Championship is held on the high level. The specific feature of this championship is that this is the first time when so many champions take part in it. Organizators did their best! - said the sportsman.

- Today I played with young and talanted grandmaster from Netherlands Roel Boomstra. Although I had an advantage I made a small mistake and our positions matched. No doubt that the current leader Jean Mark Ndjofang is one of the favorites of the championship. But still it is impossible to predict the result. Semifinal games were very difficult, it was morally difficult to become one of the three best players of the group. When the semifinal games finished I felt better. I do not feel tired. After the championship I'm planning to spend time with my family and then take part in the International grandmasters championship.

Many of the participants of the world championship think that Georgiev is one of such kind. But the champion himself said: I also make mistakes, everybody is unique you should not try to be like someone else. You should train more and then you will become successful. We know practically everything about draughts. For ordinary person it is difficult to understand what is going on on the draught-board but for us it is an exciting struggle. Person who better understands the situation becomes the best.